And so this is Christmas…

You do not have to be Christian to celebrate Christmas. Christmas, the holiday, is for everyone who enjoys seeing — and participating in — goodwill toward men, goodwill toward all. It’s for those who like the festiveness of the season, and want to decorate their home or their office space with something to carry the festive note along; and it’s for those who enjoy the coming together of friends and family and coworkers and strangers alike to share a meal or a snack or a drink or
a cookie. It’s about feeling and showing a little (or a lot) more love; it’s about sharing and caring and doing it without reservation; it’s about old traditions being passed down and starting up new traditions that will bring people together. And this season of the year is the perfect time to look up those old Christmas-related movies, fix yourself a cup of eggnog or tea, and settle in for a feel-good hour or two with one of those charming classics such as Miracle on 34th Street or It’s a Wonderful Life. Christmas is also for those who like to focus on something other-worldly, even if it’s only once a year; something that makes them think of the grander plan, a higher power, maybe a real live baby of history who came to discover that he was actually born as both a son of man and the Son of God. Yes, that’s quite a thought to consider, even only once a year!
Christmas, the holiday, does not belong to any one group — and it very definitely does not exclude anyone in any group — even while Christmas, the holy day, more or less seems to “belong” to those who believe that that baby, the one most people call Jesus, really and truly was the Promised One, the Son of God. We naturally believe that all of us will get to know the truth behind our own individual beliefs (no matter what we believe in) once we pass over to the other side, but it is rather a happy thing for those who choose to accept that Jesus came to earth as a helpless little babe, passing through all the experiences as humans do, and came into the fullness of his wisdom while on earth in order to share it with all those around him, and for all time.
So whether you only appreciate the twinkling lights, the pretty trees, the friendly get-togethers, or the presents exchanged between loved ones, let Christmas into your hearts. It is for one and all.